The Bees That Nest In Our Chests
by sctwilightvampwolfgal
Summary: From transformations to puns to heartache and so much more, she loved him even though sometimes he didn't love her back quite the same way. *Collection of sometimes interconnected but usually not oneshots.*
1. You're Bee-utiful

As the transformation completed for the first time, she stared into green eyes, feeling a surge of sudden confidence, twisting this way and that, not overly pleased with her outfit regardless.

"I've got to say, you're bee-utiful." Adrien's wide grin, made her heart plummet, and she rolled her pretty blue eyes at him.

"Adrikins, you do know that puns are not an effective way of flirting, right?" She winked at him, standing tall, as his green eyes shot up to meet hers.

"You do know that adding -ikins to any name is not an effective way of flirting, right?" She hated his sass; she decided just then.

"You do realize that bees aren't just as sweet as honey, right?" Her eyes lit up, and her voice sounded like melted sugar as she leaned closer; it was funny that he'd never heard her voice sound like that despite being childhood friends with her.

"Yeah, but I figured that the sting would be well worth it." He grinned, sounding smug, and she wondered briefly if he still had feelings for Ladybug in this moment; she didn't bother bringing it up in case it reminded him.

"It might not be quite as fun as you'd expect it to be." She pressed closer, watching her stinger, and leaning in to gently kiss his lips, knowing half as well as she wished she did that he'd let her kiss him in this moment.

"So?" It was playful, and she was pretty sure she saw what had first appeared to her as a mangy cat in him though it was nearly endearing in this moment.

Chloe sighed, arms crossed, and let a smile pull at her lips as she uncrossed them to gingerly tap him, "So since you saw mine, show me yours." Her blue eyes were lit up in actual excitement and wonder, and Adrien couldn't resist the slight up pulling of his lips at the sight.

"I thought that you didn't like Cat Noir?" Adrien asked.

"That was before, I found out that he was pawsitively endearing and fell for him." She shrugged with a slight smile and hoped that the cat pun was enough to convince him.

"Okay, okay." Adrien's eyes sparkled at that as he quickly reached out for Plagg and called, "Claws out."

Chloe giggled though her eyes lit up in excitement and wonder as soon as the transformation started and finished.

"I'm surprised. You actually rock the cat ears and leather quite well." She shrugged, figuring that good boy Adrien actually looking like this was kind of hot in its off the radar kind of way.

"Thanks." Cat Noir blushed despite the pride that rose up in his chest as his eyes flickered back to her and as his ears twitched on his head.

"No problem." Queen Bee pressed closer and gingerly kissed his lips again though always a little fearful that this would be the last time that he'd let her; she'd cherish it second by second especially when he kissed her back.

Bees took up nest in her stomach, reminding her of her childhood with him, how she actually fell in love with him before nerves kicked in, before puberty pulled them further apart, before she'd developed an image that she'd had to uphold before it became too much.

She loved how he always managed to bring her out of the funk of her teenage years, make her feel younger again, and make her feel as elated as this moment did.

Cat Noir pulled away from her with an easy smile, and for a moment, Queen Bee could pretend that he loved her and just her.


	2. Born To Bee Wild

"Were you born to bee wild, because you sure seem like it." Cat Noir's eyes sparkled as he leaned on his baton casually.

Queen Bee rolled her eyes, "Seriously? You've known me all these years and yet..." She let it trail off, ignoring the fact that Ladybug had caught up to them and surely heard what she'd said.

"That gives me more of a claim." Cat Noir shrugged.

"Sure, it does." Her voice dripped heavy sarcasm, and Ladybug looked over curiously.

"So... Are you saying that you weren't born to bee wild?" He couldn't help himself, and Queen Bee rolled her eyes at just hearing it again.

She stepped closer, ignoring Ladybug as she tended to do whenever her presence grated on her nerves instead of making her unbelievably happy, and gently ran her fingers up his chest to rest on his chin, "Do you want to say that again?"

"Yeah," His adam's apple bobbed slightly past his gulp, but he didn't dare pull away from her.

"Oh, really?" Her blue eyes twinkled, and she felt and heard rather than saw how Ladybug moved away very carefully as if she didn't want to stay here and witness Queen Bee steal a kiss from Cat Noir.

"You were born to bee wild." Despite his nervousness at her proximity, his eyes glinted in this fun form of mischief.

Queen Bee rolled her eyes and pressed closer, "A bee is not afraid to take what is hers." She smirked playfully as she pressed just a centimeter closer.

"What is yours, Queenie?" He murmured, voice dropping to a soft near purr.

"I'll have to say that you're my kitten, my worker bee, to care for." She smirked, ignoring the part of her that felt particularly weird to even mutter anything like that.

"Oh, is that so?" His green eyes lit up in slight teasing, "What is your first command, my Queen?"

"That you kiss me." Queen Bee shrugged, pressing closer, and kissing him anyway.

Cat Noir pressed closer, gingerly kissing her back, feeling the faint flutter from her wings that pressed her closer.

"So my Queen likes kisses, does she?" He was still willing to tease her, making her want to roll her eyes again; he simply had to tease her, didn't he?

"She loves kisses from her favorite worker kitty." She settled on, wondering if this would become pretty regular during their patrols.

"Oh." Cat Noir muttered, pressing closer, kissing her again, letting her have her way; Queen Bee wondered why he'd become much more willing to succumb to her desire since she'd become Queen Bee. May be it was a sign of how she'd grown in character, grown up in a way, and she was relieved to be able to enjoy whatever he'd give her.


	3. Have You Heard The Buzz?

"Have you heard the buzz?" Surprisingly, it was Queen Bee who had said this.

She'd sidled up next to Cat Noir with a half playful, half teasing smirk.

"QueenCat is nearly as popular as you paired up with your little Ladybug over there." Queen Bee gestured vaguely over towards the red and black spotted heroine just a little further away from them.

"Nuh uh." Cat Noir shrugged, doubting Queen Bee even as she pulled out her civilian phone and quickly went on to the LadyBlog that was just buzzing with excitement.

Alya had posted a question just last night, asking what everyone's favorite ship was for the five superheroes probably expected to just get TurtleFox and LadyNoir hints and yet it had blown up with hints of various other pairings.

LadyQueen was nearly as popular as LadyNoir and TurtleFox though right behind that laid the fact that QueenCat was right on its tail, quickly rising in popularity.

Behind those four pairing mashups however were TurtleCat and FoxBug and even QueenFox as they were currently being called; those three pairings were significantly less popular, but surprising enough to Cat Noir still adored.

He'd slowed down regularly checking the LadyBlog since it wasn't as regularly being updated, and the potential mesh of his civilian life with his hero one and the fact that he was currently struggling against attraction to two superheroine and one civilian wasn't really helping him out any.

Queen Bee beamed, "So we're popular."

Rena Rouge rolled her eyes, "That doesn't mean that you're actually together."

Queen Bee had a complicated relationship with pretty much everyone in the group of heroes, she adored Ladybug, but had since developed a thing for Cat Noir which was a little odd in their fox partner's perspective anyway.

She never did manage to get along with Queen Bee however since they both were stubborn and tended to fight often.

"But you're more popular paired up with Ladybug too." Cat Noir shrugged, but sent a distracted wink Ladybug's way in which he earned an eye roll.

"Still quite a few people think that we have a chance together." Queen Bee tried with a pleasant smirk.

"Focus on patrol." Both Rena Rouge and Ladybug spoke up in unison, surprising one another, and making the two heroes giggle.

Cat Noir shook his head with a grin, but did pull further away from Queen Bee who watched him go with obvious longing in her eyes before she hopped to catch up with everyone and let the conversation drop with relative ease.

She'd bookmark it later as that was the closest that she'd ever been shown to have something akin to attraction to her partner which only made her smile in glee even if chances might be slim.


	4. To Bee Or Not To Bee

She adjusted her light blue dress and sent a smile Adrien's way; there was something catching about seeing her step out of whatever normally held her and on to the floor for this.

Chloe had after the last chance of acting in class finally stepped out of her shell in that regard and had chosen to participate this time.

Her blue eyes flickered over to him and for a second, Adrien could pretend that they were kids again, just goofing off and laughing.

Chloe moved with the ease of someone long used to having to be this graceful and followed her lines relatively easily until she stumbled over a few of them, half smiling though Adrien knew that it was just for him to see; suddenly, they both felt like kids again.

He stepped closer and tossed in a quick quip, "To bee or not to bee..." It dragged off as he thought back to old dress up days and while dress up wasn't his favorite thing in the world, the joy of the fun they had afterward always made up for that.

Adrien was the dashing black cat which now that he thought back on some quite fitting while Chloe, she was the bee queen.

She rolled her eyes at him, but a sparkle danced within her eyes as she approached him, half joking despite the fact that the whole class was still looking on at them, slightly amazed, "O Romeo, O Romeo." Her breath was a gust of one, and suddenly it hit home that they weren't both still kids. They were growing up; they are teenagers now with their own problems and confusing emotions thrown in to just toss and turn them about for a while.

Chloe moved closer, looping her arms around him, and the movement was so surprisingly gentle that he let her, knowing that a part of her needed this as the world shifted and changed yet again; he wondered if there really should be a reason as to why he wanted to press closer and kiss her now, remind her of their promises to always stay by each other's sides, of their hopes of being a family some day, and on particularly hard days how she used to tell him that she wanted to be like his dad and mom, and that the only difference was that she'd be with him, because he calmed a certain part of her.

He didn't kiss her, but he did hold her and gently run his fingers through blond hair, letting her relax into his arms further before she pulled away, and they actually practiced the lines that they were supposed to.

Still Chloe lit up under the lead's role as if this was a part of who she was supposed to be, a small and soft smile stayed on her face, and when she'd complain about Marinette later, he found that it was half hearted on Chloe's part.

He wanted to pull her close and never let her leave the warm cocoon of the space between his arms.

Adrien wondered if she'd let him gingerly ease the heartache within her, because he knew that she still felt it like he still felt his own.

He couldn't quite wait for the day when they performed the play, and if somehow someone out there wrote a kiss scene into it, he knew that he wouldn't mind.

Chloe was the sun and the stars when she was happy, when she wasn't trying to play a role in her family life, in her social status, that didn't quite fit her, always collapsed around her, and made her feel weak, encouraged her to lash out.

She was his first friend and had been his only friend up until he met Nino and Plagg, but while there was a certain quality of best friend status reserved for Nino, when Chloe was herself, Adrien felt almost at home as familiar as he was with who she is.

Chloe played her role with a superb amount of acting which may have surprised a few people, but Adrien knew that she'd be good at handling so: memorized lines were sort of their thing or at least something that they'd had to do with their social statuses more often than either was comfortable with.

She pressed closer after opening night finally closed, and Adrien let her kiss him.

It felt like a gentle breath of relief; she was still herself, no forced role pulling her down in that moment.

He could feel it in the gentle way her tongue poked through, licking his lips, and gingerly caressing his tongue; he let her take control though it wasn't a forced hold at all.

Chloe's hands entangled in his nape, and he fell easily into that kiss that seemed to regularly grow and push; she, in this moment, was completely herself and genuinely in love with him.

No thoughts of other women flooded his mind with her here in his arms, gingerly taking his heart for a stroll.

Adrien ignored the weird looks from his classmates as they pulled apart, his hands still on her waist.

Chloe smiled like the sun and finally they pulled apart fully; she gingerly kissed his cheek before walking out of the room. Her usual fabricated saunter to look superior gone.

He still half felt like a kid around her again, completely unsure of himself and where he stood, but Adrien found that it really wasn't an uncomfortable feeling in the slightest.


	5. Honey Bee Yourself

"Honey bee yourself." The words were soft like a delicate mantra, and Chloe took a gulp of sweet, sweet air.

She spun around to face her fiance, "I don't think that he'll like this engagement for once, not after all of the rumors of you being Cat Noir that are present or the fact that you've quit being a model."

"No one believes the rumors anyway, not even Ladybug." He smirked like there was an inside joke there, and Chloe sighed, rolling her eyes at him.

"It's just, how's he going to take the fact that his little girl is growing up and loves someone that won't be remembered by the mass public in a few more years?" Chloe stared at the hotel, seeing the way her father talked to some of the hotel guests.

"He doesn't really treat you like his little girl anyway." The bitter words roll off his tongue before he can stop himself, and Chloe gives him a look and with the almost soft smile that lights up her face in that moment moment.

"I know, not since Mom left, and probably not even then." Chloe sighs, and in that moment, Adrien recalls dimly that she's Queen Bee as she squares her shoulders, confidence restored, and marches over to her father, not angry, just may be a little relieved to not have to call this place that feels desolated when it isn't physically, home anymore.

"Father," She pulls him away from the client with a tone of voice that reminds Adrien of years ago, long before Queen Bee became a part of who she was, and long before she'd had the confidence to become a woman rather than stay the same, tired, lonely girl that only had a facade to fall behind.

"Yes, dear?" The look that he gives her is placating, not loving, and Adrien feels sick, just seeing it; it wasn't far off from some of the looks that he'd seen his own father wear in the past, but his father rarely kept those looks for long.

"I wanted to tell you." Chloe shifts just further out of sight of any reporters, "That I'm engaged." Chloe smiles, and that lifts a part of Adrien's heart that had nervously broken for her sake.

"With who?" Her father's voice is acidic and reminds Chloe how when they first started dating that she insisted that they couldn't tell her father; he would have probably liked Adrien then.

Chloe sends a nervous but comforting smile Adrien's way and directs him over with a gentle sway of her hand, "Adrien Agreste."

Adrien stands by her side, looping his fingers through the hand that had motioned him over, staring at the engagement ring that seemed to shine so brightly on her finger.

"You've got to be joking, honey." Her father's eyes narrowed, "He's going nowhere. Most people don't take models seriously when compared to a politician's daughter, and you know that you have quite a name to live up to."

"Father, he may have chosen to quit modeling, but it doesn't mean that his life is over." She stuck her chin out confidently, body swelling into a familiar confidence that she often only let shine as Queen Bee; that confidence had never been spoiled as Queen Bee, never been a means to tear people down, because a part of her had still been finding her way back when she first set out to become a hero.

"He's going downhill, sweetie. The only thing that will save him is his father's name and the company that he'll one day inherit." The mayor gave his daughter a look as if he was scolding her for a poor choice or another.

"He's his own person, Father. It's what I want to be too." Tears gathered in his fiance's eyes; Chloe felt a burning ache in her chest, her heart racing and yet falling behind all at once, and so, so angry. It was like her father was ripping a part of her out in this moment, as if he'd refused to let her stay his daughter, and as if he still hoped that she'd be a 'mindless' robot out to stay the same, may be knock a few people down, or may be just use her wealth as if it were a joy, a blessing, which she'd since came to doubt; after becoming Queen Bee, she never felt the same about her old life.

"Sweetie, you have a reputation to uphold. You know that." Her father stared her down, "What was wrong with the politician's son, I introduced you to last week? They are a well off family, and it looks good for our name since they aren't trying to steal my rightful spot as mayor."

"Father," She took a deep breath, steadying the broken organ still beating in her chest, "I am in love with Adrien, you know that. I can't break our promises to each other by seeing some nobody." She felt as if her legs had melted into some, sticky glue, and that she was just about to figure out what the floor felt like.

"He's not a nobody. Don't you see that you're wasting your life away? He's not going to make your life better by marrying him when you know that for a while, my decision to marry your mother worked in my favor." The mayor of Paris stood up tall and for a moment, Chloe forgot that he was supposed to be her father, someone to love, respect, and look up to.

"Did you just marry Mom for political gain?" Chloe hated the taste of those last two words on her tongue, hated how she felt so weak, so minuscule, here in this moment.

Adrien's fingers had taken to massaging her hand, and she tried desperately to relax into the touch.

"Why else would I marry her?" He practically sneered the words, and Chloe understood perfectly well why her mother would divorce this man, "Love is dead in the city of Paris."  
Chloe felt tears prick her eyes though nearly stumbled when Adrien shifted beside her.

"Excuse me, sir. Love will never be dead in the city of Paris. We live in the city of Paris." Adrien's words had shocked her silent as tears still shook in her eyes; she pressed closer to her fiance, relieved to feel his arm encircle her waist when she drew closer.

"It's dead if you want to have a career, young man." Andre Bourgeois had never before looked so cold to Adrien as if he'd already been buried six feet under.

"What if I want to just be a stay at home dad or a teacher? What if I just want to be there for your daughter and take care of her? I don't want a career with the way you run business." Adrien's words were honest and raw and yet a part of her heart broke to hear her fiance talking to her father like this.

"Adrien, Adrien, we should just go." Chloe told him, clinging to his arm, half desperately, "We let him know that we're engaged, and that's what matters."

"Young lady, you are not allowed to marry that man or even leave this hotel right now." The mayor's decree did not have the desired effect on his daughter, didn't have the effect that it would if she was still in school.

Queen Bee flared in her eyes, confidence puffing her chest out, and bringing out her stubborn side, "You can't stop me from living my life, Father. Adrien's the only man that I'll ever love and the only man that I've come to love. I don't want to live a shell of a life here with you. You can't stop me from walking out that door like you couldn't stop Mom from walking out that door." She spun around, turning to leave the hotel far behind, as if it was just a relic from a past life.

"I'm sorry." Adrien murmured in her ear after they'd left the hotel.

Chloe's blue eyes twinkled with tears as she turned to face him, "It's not your fault. I'd rather be with you, someone who cares about my joys and worries when I'm really upset, then be with someone who can't ever find the time for me and thinks that endless spending of money can fill a void in my heart. I'm done being the girl that thinks that a credit card can define my happiness. Even if we struggle and fall apart or if my father cuts off my bank account, I want to be with you. I love you, Adrien, and it may have taken me becoming Queen Bee to figure all of that out, but I will never leave your side if you don't leave mine."

Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she moved closer, and Adrien pulled her in; it was definitely not going to be easy, but he loved her just as much as she loved him.


	6. Thinking Of My Little Honey(s)

Adrien couldn't help smiling as his thoughts wandered; he was waiting for his adorable wife to come home from work and their two sons to wander home from school, and all that he could think about were them.

Chloe was still as full of spunk as ever though through the years had softened a little; she'd actually mended her friendship with Sabrina after becoming Queen Bee and had managed to even become on speaking terms with Marinette though their identity reveals after defeating Hawkmoth had probably helped a lot with that.

It was a relief though when the five of them actually became closer, and it felt like he wasn't dealing with the fallout by himself.

They'd given Hawkmoth's Miraculous back to Master Fu with the peacock one that Adrien had found in his mom's old stuff though they didn't turn Hawkmoth back in.

For a while after that, he'd needed the support to mend his life, advice from listening ears, and the love and support of his whole group of friends.

His father had finally came around about five months later, and while Adrien couldn't say that he was unbelievably close with his father, he could say that they'd grown closer over the years.

Adrien smiled as he set the table though it only grew more when his wife sent him a text, 'Mind if I come home early today? It seems that we nearly have all of the paperwork done.'

He beamed, 'Sure, I've just been thinking of my little honeys anyway and would love to see you all sooner.'

'Chat, quit it.' He received, and he imagined that Chloe was rolling her eyes on the other end as she typed her response.

'But I'm Adrien, the man that you've loved since we were kids, the man that you married. Does it ring any bells, Chlo?' His smile only grew wider the more he typed.

'I'm taking the long route home to pick up our boys.' Chloe typed.

'You're no fun.' Adrien pouted as he moved to actually get started on dinner though he still sometimes fumbled and messed up recipes; he'd decided that he wanted to try out being a stay at home dad years ago, and his wife had actually encouraged him when she realized that was what he wanted though old habits on both of their ends died hard.

'Still you love me anyway.' Chloe sent, 'Can you invite Marinette to my all girls spa day in a few weeks? She can probably use a break, and I'd love to give this friendship another try. Plus her and Nath's little girl can come play at our house.'

'Sure, as long as Dad isn't keeping her too busy.' Adrien typed with ease.

'He's probably working her to death. Our fathers are such workaholics.' Chloe responded though he detected a hint of pride in her message anyway.

'They are, but you are too.' Adrien typed with a fond smile; his wife loved her work though she was slowly climbing to success as a politician. She didn't want to be mayor like her father, just sort of wanted to set out and see what she could do.

'I know, but someone has to provide for the queen.' Chloe typed, and Adrien rolled his eyes.

'I'm not the queen,you are, Queenie. It's in your name.' Adrien typed with ease.

'I'm not going to call you my kitten. Can you imagine how Ladybug would take that? That's her nickname for you and uncharted waters for me.' Chloe typed, and Adrien can just imagine the slight tightening up of her shoulders, and he was once again reminded of how strong willed she was as a teenager. It still came out in waves from her, but it wasn't as cold and bitter as it used to be.

'I'm sure she'd love it.' Adrien typed anyway.

'Oh, please, Adrikins. Don't you dare.' Chloe typed, and Adrien groaned; that old nickname was definitely not his favorite though whenever Chloe was particularly smug, she'd slip it in.

'I love you, honey, but please don't go there.' Adrien typed as he tried to focus on dinner, aware of the last time that he'd gotten a little too distracted and nearly burnt down their apartment; Chloe had never let him hear the end of that one, neither did Marinette or Alya or even Nino for that matter.

He didn't want to make that mistake ever again.

'I love you too, and I'm picking up our boys right now, see you home in a bit. Don't burn down the house as you think of your little honeys again, okay?' Chloe typed though the smugness in her tone even if it was only a text registered in her husband's mind with ease.

'I'm not, and it was only once. I'll see you guys soon. I love you all.' Adrien couldn't help but type though smiled even when he didn't get a response in the form of a text.

Chloe slipped into their house in a dark blue business suit that made her eyes pop and look lighter than they actually were with their two sons by her side.

Adrien turned off the burner as he stepped closer to her and gave her a kiss and gave both of his sons little forehead kisses.

"Alright, honeys. Dinner's almost done." His boys cheered while his wife rolled her eyes at him.

"Honeys sweet though you know that bees can sting." She pressed closer to Adrien to kiss his cheek before pulling away and under the observant gazes of their young sons.

"Why are we always called honeys or bees?" Their youngest asked.

Adrien smiled, "Because your mom is my queen bee."

Chloe rolled her eyes, "You wish. Paris already has the Queen Bee, who needs another? Besides, boys, you're my little kittens no matter what your dad says."

"So you won't be my honeybee?" Adrien asked her with a smile and hopeful looking green eyes.

"I'm more of a wasp, honey." Chloe smirked when Adrien beamed at the endearment.

"And I'm more of an alley cat." Adrien told her with a beam.

"You're more of a domesticated kitty, Adrien." Chloe leaned towards her husband to give him another kiss on the lips before he pulled away to pull dinner off of the stove.

"Only for my queen and our little honeys." Adrien spoke up with ease.

"You never did learn to quit, did you?" Chloe grumbled as she sat down at the table.

"Paris never needed quitters." Adrien's smile grew wider as he relaxed under his wife's gaze though he knew that in this instance she couldn't prove him wrong in the least.

"I love you too much for my own good." Chloe sighed.

"You always have." Adrien's eyes gleamed as he stared at her.

"At least you're the most devoted cat that I've seen." Chloe told him with a fond smile already creeping onto her face.

"And you're the sweetest bee that I've met." Adrien chimed in so very easily.

"I love you, Adrien." Chloe's lips pulled up into a wide smile.

"I love you too, Chlo." His smile and the sparkle in his eyes only further cemented the truth of his words for her.


	7. Bee Mine

There was a little, scribbled bee next to a heart with a touch of naivete.

Chloe smiled as she gazed down at the cute, little drawing that had just a simple phrase, 'Bee Mine' attached with just a little bit of a continuing phrase, 'My friend.'

The blond haired, little girl giggled as she reached out and held the handmade card to her chest.

"Thank you so much, Adrien!" She chirped happily.

The green eyed boy grinned a wide smile back at her, "No problem, Chloe!"

She leaned against her young friend's side and beamed a wide, bright smile.

Chloe nestled casually against Adrien's side, never letting her enthusiastic smile drop, "I'm so happy, Adrikins." She stammered out the newest addition to her nicknames for him though the five year old had never quite used it much.

Adrien smiled back at her, "I'm glad."

Valentine's Day for them was just a day for childhood friends and silly friendship rather than any pressing, romantic concerns.

Chloe held the handmade Valentine to her chest with a brilliant grin as she stared at her friend, already imagining a bright future together with the two of them as the best of friends forever.

* * *

The young woman blinked her bleary eyes open with a drowsy yet still somewhat vibrant smile though it fell slightly when she realized that it was Valentine's Day.

She'd loved the holiday as a young girl, because it meant that her mother would bring her over to the Agreste mansion to play with Adrien and yet her mother still left while she was young, leaving behind a girl to grow up under the harsh reality of drifting love.

Chloe sighed though she remembered how Valentine's Day had lost its glow when her mother left; her father though he loved her dearly never really took to the holiday in the same way as Chloe's mother had.

Her eyes flickered over to the cute, little Valentine; her first ever one perched proudly in a picture frame and hanging from her wall: the only thing in her room that money never bought for her.

Chloe's eyes inevitably fell down on her cellphone, lying where it had just been charging, and yet she couldn't bring herself to climb out of bed and call Adrien to may be hang out with her today.

Since they'd left Lycee and high school behind, they really hadn't had much chance to hang out, childhood friends or not; she missed their old ease of contact; they'd always known what to say or do to make the other one smile.

Chloe missed his care free smiles almost as much as she missed her own though she braved a not so carefree smile regardless and clamored out of bed to finally tackle this day; it was a Sunday, and she knew that despite her father's meaningful intentions that he was probably at the office working, forgetting the holiday.

If it wasn't the weekend of a busy week, and if it wasn't this holiday, may be he'd have the time for her; while she used to view Valentine's Day as a day between friends, her father never seemed to have viewed it as such or even viewed it as a holiday between family.

It was romantic, and he'd given up on romance once his wife had left him all those years ago.

Chloe hummed a sadder melody than she'd intended to and picked up her phone to check the time and may be send Adrien a message though the brief, 'Hey, Adrikins, do you remember when we were young?' was deleted before she ever could press send.

She puzzled vaguely over what the Valentine could mean now that they were older though she'd understood it as a friendship fueled gesture even then; she sighed and poked Pollen awake to may be start the dull day in the best way that she could.

With luck, Cat Noir would already be there, and she'd have the easy camaraderie that she missed from her childhood that she still tried to cling to even now, even as her feelings for Adrien had long since shifted from friendship to romance.

As superheroes, she felt as if she had more of a chance than civilians though she knew that he knew who she was in the same easy way that she knew exactly who he was.

Adrien definitely became a reason for her to try harder, to be different, and to rise above the insecurities that she never dare breathed to anyone; he was one of two people out there, encouraging her to change for the better.

Her father never saw the harm in her ways, her mother already left without so much as writing to her daughter, and naturally, Adrien and Jean were a steady constant stream of positivity in her life though she'd almost lost both some time ago.

She had no clue what Sabrina thought of her, just that she'd tried to be there for her whether out of a desire for acceptance or some gain from her presence, she had no idea.

Adrien encouraged positive change and rising above the obstacles of your past; she'd naturally understood exactly how much he felt about that particular topic even more once she realized that he was Cat Noir and naturally still loving the little puns that his parents had somehow gotten him addicted to.

She laughed at an old memory, remembering joy that clung to them when they were young, before she found her way leaping and buzzing over rooftops and half dreaming of what joy they could have together as the best of friends or rather really close ones and the slight hint of something more almost like when they were young that grew yet again over her attempts at being kinder once again.

Queen Bee rested against a chimney and smiled as she thought over the man that she loved, that made her want to be so much more, and wasn't that what everyone wanted out of love, someone that made you want to be the best version of herself.

She still stumbled and made mistakes as a superhero and certainly hadn't become more humble, but she had the bursts of happiness and pride in her chest whenever she helped save the day and the joy that clung to her of working beside one of her favorite people, her encourager, and definitely an old friend of hers.

One day, she hoped that they'd be more, but for today, she was happy to acknowledge how far she'd come by his side and with his encouragement.

"Thank you," She breathed, letting it stay soft, still half scared that someone would hear even up on these rooftops, and that they'd find her weak though she knew that he never would.

She hoped that he'd 'bee hers' in the way that festered within her heart, that nuzzled up to the bees that nested there, and that somehow despite irony and time, that their love would bloom and grow.

'Stay you, Adrikins.' Her smile shone though she'd never admit to anyone how grateful she was for her best friend even if they were to ask her about this moment, up on the rooftops, out of sight, and lost in thought.


	8. You're The Bees' Knees

It's like a breath of fresh air as she laughs, "Cat."  
He beams like the cat that just got the cream as he gingerly nudges the blond haired woman by his side.

She pokes dismally at the food the vendors are selling as if it is beneath her, but her smile at him just highlights baby blues and reminds him that not all is as it seems.

"So," She chimes staring at ripe, red apples that glitter in the sunlight before them, turning back towards the superhero at her side, "What do you really think of all this?"

Something in her voice reminds him that she doesn't just mean the marketplace that they are wandering, that if he was allowed to, he would have dropped his transformation ages ago to wander with her in the way that they like just between them as if they've slid away from the center stage into a true mark of friendship and the little hint of more that she spreads when she isn't trying.

He drops a whisper against her ear, knowing that the man selling apples can clearly still hear him, "It's the bees' knees."

Chloe snorts as if surprised by the fact that he's clearly teasing her over her superhero identity even though she's still a civilian right now, "Thank you for coming out with me."

She plucks up the ripest apple, scanning it with unsure eyes before slipping over some money for it, paying twice the amount for it than it cost though moving away as if she truly was indifferent; with him, sometimes she tried more than she let on.

"So," She watches him with a casual smile as if he were just Adrien right now and bites into the apple with a happy look on her face, "What's it like being all that you are?" She says it like it is only a complete picture when you take his civilian identity in, and he remembers how in certain ways, she's grown.

"It's busy." He adds, almost saying another pun before realizing that she'd already caught it without it even leaving his lips.

"I forget what it's like when you wear the mask." She chimes in, staring down at a different table, deliberating over whether she wants to buy the honeyed treat and risk the teasing from the man beside her or just walk on buy.

He buys it for her when she looks away, handing it over with sure claws and sure hands.

Chloe smiles at him, thankful, but doesn't say a word; she easily keeps pace with him, handing her apple over, and he realizes belatedly that she never wanted the apple to begin with, just wanted to buy something deserving of the mayor's daughter for the fact that she took up his time at that stand.

She's a woman, all nineteen years of her, though he still sees the girl from Lycee in the way she'll pause or treat things without much holding her back or he'll still see her five year old self in her obvious enthusiasm when it spun out from her as if it had everywhere to go.

Chloe's much better at hiding that enthusiasm though he pretends that it's clear enough for the world to see sometimes, especially when he thinks that she needs to be seen.

She loves the center of attention as much as sometimes it grows weary over him; she thrives under the spotlight and when she doesn't thrive, she often feels like she does.

Chloe tosses her blond hair back when they walk out of the marketplace, and he can't help but say more, "You're the bees' knees." It's weak to use the same kind of pun or joke rather two times in a row with little adjustment, but he thinks that she needs it sometimes.

"You know you're talking to Chloe Bouregeis, not Queen Bee now, but I'll accept it for what it's worth anyway." She nestles against his side, letting his arm curl around her waist when she presses just close enough.

"Does it matter right now?" He hopes that she can tell within the green forests of his own eyes that he means that she's just as incredible transformed as she is right now, leaving the market with a sweet tinge to her heart and carefully eating the honey treat from before, trying to brush the wet parts quickly into her mouth in fear of them leaving sticky imprints on her fingers.

"In a way, it does." She looks away before she steels herself past whatever is holding her back, "Do you think it's time to move on?"

She craves the freedom that the mask lights up in her like he craves his own though he's aware that she isn't sure where to move right now, just that she wants to claim her own shot at fame, something other than hiding her identity behind a mask.

"Do you know where you want to move?" He lets his clawed hand loop over one of her hands, shifting the apple into his other hand, realizing that he should take a bite from the juicy treat soon.

"Not yet." She looks up at him, and he sees a fighter in her still, something never dimmed by any time at all.

"Okay, than wait." He smiles, "You'll feel more free once you know what you want."

Chloe leans on his side before muttering words that he knows have become muted over the years, words that she puts on a brave face for despite the nervous beat of her heart when she's before other people as if she can't help but feel that way and in a way, she can't, "I just want you."

Cat Noir's eyes flicker closed as he debates his answer, "I'm still not sure which way to go, myself, but I want you to be happy."

She smiles, it's bitter and sad, but she braves through it, and he can't help but admire her show of heroic strength in that moment, "I want your happiness, of course."

Chloe stares ahead of her with a vibrant smile though it probably takes effort sometimes to be patient, to be what few situations have called her to be.

"It's nothing against you." Cat Noir speaks, letting the words sink in.

"It's just that you loved her first." Chloe shrugs as if she doesn't understand the feelings that rage in his heart for him to just listen in on though identities still remain locked up tight with Ladybug; she doesn't seem as smitten as he is regardless.

"I..." He stops before he can apologize, but he realizes that he doesn't mean it even if he says it; he remembers years of being friends with Chloe and knows that he loved being her best friend growing up while a part of that's in reach, always has been, he can't ignore these feelings that developed years ago when he first met Ladybug.

Chloe's eyes flicker back to him, "I'm not going to force you or anything."

"Thank you." He smiles though hates how he can't make her happy just this once when he in part feels like he should; his emotions are mixed and confused. He knows enough to wait.

She looks ahead of herself, "I'm not sweet, but I'm definitely not prickly either." Chloe will carry herself as if she's all bitter most of the time, but he's relieved when she lets her guard down around him even like this.

The young woman pauses before him and can't help her small smile as she stands on tip toes and kisses both of his cheeks with reserved enthusiasm, "One day if you have me, it will mean so much more to us both."  
He shakes his head but smiles down at her, still somewhat surprised at the fact that when they were younger, they were closer in height, and yet now he has to look down at her sometimes to properly lock eyes on her.

"You deserve more." He says it not because of her name or her weath, but because of the friendship, the easy companionship that she's given him over the years.

She shakes her head, but it feels nearly like a contradiction; is she denying what he's said or pinning it more to him?

"Cat Noir," She starts before letting her voice drop down to a soft purr, "Adrien." It's nothing more than his name though it's spoken soft enough that only the two of them could hear it though no one is near right now to listen in regardless.

He doesn't respond but lets her smile back at him; it's a relief to share his secret with somebody, and even if no one else sees it, he sees how she's grown from the cause of so many Akuma victims meeting Hawkmoth to the woman that stands before him, looking much the same with few hints to any change on her person.

Cat Noir loves her yet it doesn't feel like enough, not when he also loves Ladybug more than anything, not when he's still unsure of how romantic his feelings go for his long time friend, and definitely not when he still sometimes feels lingering, crush led feelings on Marinette.

Those three women deserve so much better than confused feelings, so even if sometimes he leans closer to Queen Bee than he should or whether he longs to just press closer to Chloe and be the wall that she needs, he can't quite bridge that gap yet.


	9. Don't Bee Stung By Inexperience

Queen Bee couldn't quite believe all that had happened in the past twenty four hours or the fact that she was currently sitting cross legged on the floor of her childhood best friend's room, more than a little jolted by the sound of the first Akuma that she'd ever fight, just starting to cause chaos somewhere else in town.

This meant that she was privy to the way that Adrien hopped to his feet, suddenly casting a nervous glance towards her, and despite the fact that he'd talked her through her first transformation and the fact that she was aware of who he was.

"Go, transform." She shrugged, unsure if he wanted her to watch him do so as she eyed Plagg from the corner of the room that looked slightly grumpy to just be waking up to go fight an Akuma.

"Don't bee stung by inexperience." Adrien tried to joke, "I'll be right over, myself, and just wait for me to catch up to you."

"More like I'm the one with the stinger." Queen Bee grumbled despite herself though smiled when Adrien pressed a quick kiss on her cheek for 'good luck' even though it probably didn't help since it was from the black cat of the group.

She sighed as she stood, righting herself, and tried to remember exactly how Pollen had explained everything especially even the things that Adrien had said before.

Queen Bee figured that she'd watch him transform some other time when everything wasn't so new and when nerves didn't assault her veins and cause her to feel as if she were to faint; Chloe Bourgeois never fainted, but it sure was tempting as she hopped on to the window ledge, peeking down at the Parisian streets below her and took a deep breath.

Chloe didn't feel prepared for this at all as she hopped out the window and let her Trompo fall underneath her for easy travel though once she made it safely to another rooftop she ran across them, feeling her out jump up to her throat.

She was relieved though that when she landed towards the edge of the Akuma fight that Ladybug and some other possible Miraculous user were already fighting the Akuma.

This other woman wore a fox based superhero suit and was currently trying to keep the Akuma distracted as Ladybug was already trying to figure out where the Akumatized item was.

Relief pooled in Queen Bee's stomach as Cat Noir dropped down by her side, "Long time, no see." His green eyes were lit up with faint amusement at what he'd said before he turned to the Akuma.

"Is that my father?" Queen Bee hissed in his ear really quick, "I don't think that I can do this."

She felt sick to her stomach as despite everything else, 'The Politician' looked kind of like her dad; he was dressed in a dark blue suit and strangely enough held himself in a regal manner.

"Uh," Cat Noir muttered, "I've fought my dad before if that helps?"

"That doesn't help at all." Queen Bee hissed in his ears as they hopped off of the building to join the fight.

"Training a kit, yourself, Ladybug?" Cat Noir chimed in as he eyed the other Miraculous user by her side.

Ladybug whirled around to give Queen Bee a speculative look, "You've got yourself, a bee?"

"Yeah, she sure packs a lot of sting." She felt relieved that she wasn't the only one rolling her eyes as Ladybug was as well.

"Okay, so what can she do?" Ladybug asked, not commenting at all on the fact that Cat Noir had just tried to pun.

"She has a Trompo." He shrugged, motioning towards it, "It seems to blast energy when she spins it."

Queen Bee decided right then and there that Pollen was much better at explaining how her powers worked than Cat Noir was.

"I can be a distraction?" She suggested, uneasily, watching the smooth and quick movements of the fox just ahead of her, playing a flute and sliding out of the way or rather, seeming to split off into several different versions of herself, reminiscent of Volpina.

"Okay," Ladybug shrugged before calling out for her Lucky Charm.

Queen Bee found herself fluttering near Cat Noir's side though she tried as hard as she could to distract The Politician by calling him to her side, saying things that a new superhero probably didn't know, and trying her best to be the best kind of distraction possible.

She regretted the fact that she'd forgotten how dorky Adrien could be when he was outside of the model based spotlight and felt mildly annoyed whenever he cracked a political pun and secretly hoped that he'd run out of ideas for puns; he never seemed to.

Queen Bee did not really feel like much of a help even as Cat Noir used Cataclysm nearby, knocking The Politician into a hole that he'd made, and as through that brief moment of confusion, he grabbed the Akumatized object and threw it at Ladybug.

Even that fox had done more than Queen Bee; she kind of wished that she had some kind of clue as to what she can do as she knelt down after the Miraculous Cure swept through the city and reached out to her father to talk to him in soft tones, explaining that no matter what happened, he'd rise above it, because he was the best sort of mayor they'd ever had.

May be it was love talking through her throat or some semblance of pride though she startled when Ladybug left, bringing the fox with her, and when Adrien suddenly bounded from the corner, more than a little tired even though she knew that he couldn't have been running for all that long.

She wondered if it was a trick as he knelt down beside her, rubbing her back softly as if to remind her that she'd done something for Paris even if she stumbled, and felt less like a super powerful superhero anyway.

Queen Bee tried to dodge questions of where exactly the mayor's daughter was though Adrien's quick answer is that she'll be on her way home soon.

Adrien walked her away from the last sight of the Akuma battle with a steady hand on her back as he talked to her about how to detransform and how absolutely ameowzing she'd been.

She groaned slightly at the pun, but couldn't help how her heart raced just beneath the surface or how she fell for him a little more; he certainly rose up to the challenge in so many ways despite everything including a packed schedule.

Queen Bee already wished that she could be more like him; after all, the truly ameowzing one was the boy walking beside her.


	10. Give Me A Buzz

"Give me a buzz, alright?" There was something nearly gentle about the softening of his bright green eyes and the emotion flickering to life within them.

Queen Bee could not resist a giddy smile though was careful to not bounce around in front of the others, "Of course, I will."

Her sparkling blue eyes met his head on, and she couldn't resist letting her smile grow in genuine affection.

This moment was nearly like all of her dreams rolled up into one and yet so different; none of her dreams involved Cat Noir asking her out or even her knowing his identity, but something beneath the surface sparked like her old bunched up dreams, almost like pages of a diary fluttering away, becoming the reality that she'd only hoped for before.

His answering smile was much more than a dream to her; it was its own melody, its own joy, its own candlelight, and its own Summer day.

Cat Noir, no the boy behind the mask, Adrien, was just as excited as she was, and that lit the flame much more inside of her than anything else ever had.

Suddenly Queen Bee wished for the intensity, the brilliance, to rock on her heels and press a quick kiss to his lips; a reminder and a sign of all of her dreams wrapped up in a big, pretty bundle.

She couldn't, not yet anyway, because if Adrien was anything, he was a romantic; he'd love their first kiss may be after their first date, gentle and slow, innocent.

Queen Bee loved the thought, but more importantly, the girl behind the mask loved it even more, practically danced in a big bundle of joy, and yet she knows to keep her composure even if not always she has.

She's Queen Bee right now, and Queen Bee is a lady, a heroine, and definitely not one to look like she's gloating; Queen Bee handles winning an Akuma battle with ease, poise, and a slightly dry tone.

Chloe may be behind the mask, but she isn't one anymore to deliberately rub salt in someone's wounds when her life switches and changes.

Ladybug may or may not know what she's lost, but Queen Bee is going to be a lady, and a lady is much more than a gloat.

Her smile is sweet, and nothing like the Queen Bee that's immovable like stone sometimes, nothing like her dry humor that slips out sometimes, unbidden, but it's everything like the woman inside who's world has become sunny, became bright and vibrant, and so full of the love that she's always reached for, never yet succeeding until now.

Queen Bee loves Cat Noir with all that is left inside of her, loves him perhaps more than she's ever came to love anyone, and that love grows under his loving attention as if it had a life of its own.

He's her better half, and she knows it like she knows that the world will spin tomorrow, will spin in an hour even, may be not make a full rotation, but work towards it; she knows it with a surety that doesn't seem to ever want to fade.

Queen Bee wants to grow, to become better, to always look towards the bright side that may sometimes flicker out of reach, and she wants to do all of this by his side.

It's a date, he promised, and yet she practically feels as if he could propose to her tomorrow, and she'd say, 'yes.'

Cat Noir has wormed his way into her heart with every fiber of his being, first as a civilian, second as a hero, and third as the mentor that never gave up on her.

Queen Bee knows Cat Noir, but she knows her own heart even better, knows each fluttering beat, each joyous song, each playful lilt; she knows the way she feels.

She loves her superhero partner with a ferocity that she may have never guessed before, with a ferocity befitting of everything she sets out to do.

Queen Bee just hopes that she'll be the bright light when the storm flickers, that something in her is enough for him to keep trudging on by her side, that everything that she is, as imperfect as it is, is enough for him, enough to be a part to keep them strong.

It's one date, but her answer feels like fate, feels like so much more, because to her, she'd always give him another chance, always reach out and hold on.

He could ask her for eternity, and she'd hand it to him almost without thought, almost without really thinking about it, and may be it isn't much, but she likes to believe it is.

By his side, she can grow, gain the wings of a true loving heart, and by his side, she's willing to try.

She doesn't say, 'I love you,' but she feels it even as she turns away to go home.


	11. Bee Amazing

"Bee amazing." Adrien spoke to her softly, and his emerald green eyes gave her pause.

It was like this weight that she never realized she had fell down her shoulders, one heavy brick at a time, and relieved her of its burden.

She's not the sort to admit to nerves or her own weaknesses; she's too proud and headstrong to let others in and realize how weak she can be at times.

Locking eyes with Adrien reaffirmed her own sense of confidence, because with him, she'd never really had to pretend; he always saw through her bravado, through her lies, and to the girl, now woman, underneath.

Chloe took a deep breath, "I don't doubt that I will bee." And if she held that 'e' a little longer than normal, she made no indication of it; she'd do a hundred things over for Adrien, the least of which is letting the occasional pun slip out right when she felt like he should hear it.

Adrien's award winning smile in that moment, as if her pun left his heart soaring, melted a long iced over part of herself that he was often prone to melting regardless, "You're Queen Bee, one of the most amazing women that I know, you'll do great." His voice naturally dropped to a soft murmur, not at all heard by anyone but them since the noise of the crowd surrounding the court room drowned the two of them out easily.

She couldn't help throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him, quickly yet enthusiastically, half ignoring the judge that was entering the court room's throat clearing.

Chloe took a second to channel her inner bee and walked confidently into the court room: the best lawyer in all of Paris, something she'd worked towards, and surely would have under her finely trimmed nails when she won her case, and something, both similar to her father's career, and vastly different.

As a lawyer, she felt powerful, felt dignified, and definitely felt her father's old influences steer her in the right direction; as a lawyer, she had to have a way with words. An argument became weak if spoken incorrectly after all.

This was the most important case of her life so far, and she was determined to win; old nerves dulled to faint embers in her chest as an energy that almost rivaled Queen Bee's rose up in her chest, and she couldn't help her slight smile down at her pretty engagement ring.

For her, Adrien was her hidden pool of strength: one that made her laugh, made her almost feel like crying over his puns on some days when it felt more excessive than ever, made her sometimes mad with his kindness, and was more than a pretty face could ever be to her.

When she was younger, she couldn't articulate why she loved him so much, couldn't explain more than they were friends for as long as they could remember, and that he was the cutest boy she knew; now, she knows her own heart a little better.

He's the only one that fully sees through her mask, not just as Queen Bee,and he gives her a reason to believe in the world that once abandoned her; he's more reasons to move on over her heartache from when her mother left, enough to remind her that there is more than her father's wealth and fame to cling to her, enough to give her the added knowledge and strength as Queen Bee.

She loves Pollen as much as they sometimes bicker, as much as they have to be close, but it doesn't quite compare to her love of Adrien that burns brighter than any flame that she's ever faced; Pollen is a sister, a best friend, a confidant, and sometimes the best counselor that she's ever had.

Adrien is to her a love that never seems capable of fading or burning out though may always require more effort than her heart sometimes feels it can take; Adrien loves the world in a kind of easy way that Chloe can't quite master, and through that, he always encourages her kind heart to show more, for her to let others in.

He's her oldest friend, her oldest confidant, and while he hasn't stepped in the close proximity of Pollen to her, he's so much more than the world can offer her regardless.

She'd feel incomplete without Pollen, without Adrien, she'd be at a loss.

Chloe stands tall, delivers her argument, defends the man that she came here to defend, loves the fact that Pollen's tiny paw gives her an added boost of confidence.

She doesn't cheer when she wins the case, just lets a small, confident smile peek out of her lips, talks to the man that she won the case for, and when she leaves, if there is an extra boost of confidence and joy that no smug reporter can take off her face, it's hard to tell past her mask of calm confidence.

Chloe knows that Adrien sees the light in her blue eyes, like a lighthouse becoming a beacon to lost sailors at sea, and she knows that Adrien knows what the exact curve of her smile means at the moment; he knows her better than anyone else other than Pollen after all.

Her arm stays looped over Adrien's, and she can't help the thought that she'd definitely been amazing today; she feels that confidence like a balloon trying to burst forth from her stomach to her chest to her throat. She feels like singing, but doesn't dare open her mouth; it's not respectful to boast after all.

She'll keep her pride on the down low until she's alone with her fiance and can't keep that dam from bursting anymore.

Her own luck happens to come in the confidence of a black cat and the small body of a bee Kwami; they're all she needs to power through court case after court case when she's barely keeping her eyes open working through composing arguments, speaking with clients, balancing many cases.

She loves her work though, loves the thrill of winning a case especially an important one; it's worth more than the cash to feel this level of pride, of boosted confidence, and yet so much more.

It's the closest that she's ever came to finding something in her civilian life that reflects herself as Queen Bee after an Akuma fight, and she refuses to break down this joy; she rides on the adrenaline high, the tense moments in court when she's unsure if she'll win despite her confidence, the joy of winning that swells like pride in her chest.

She's Queen Bee through and through; it's been long enough in her life that she can't even hope to escape from her alternate persona, and it only grows more intense with each passing day.

Queen Bee feels the steady pressure of Chloe Bourgeois as well; they've blended and meshed over time.

It's a wonder that no one notices how every so often, something more than a little hint of who they are slip by past a mask.

Still she can never forget the high of being a superheroine, of rising to the challenge, and she knows that she's never been the sort to take a challenge laying down.


	12. Hey, Beebee

**Credit goes to my sister for telling me this pun and to the kid in her class that originally said this to a bee.**

"Hey, beebee." His smile would look more charming if he wasn't punning at this particular moment.

Chloe laughed; that was a new one, and she wondered if she should feel more bothered than mildly concerned with her boyfriend's choice of endearment for her.

"Was that not what you wanted to hear?" Adrien looked falsely innocent as if he couldn't imagine why she'd be laughing at the nickname.

"Why did I fall for such a dork?" Chloe couldn't keep the humor out of her tone as she tried to pull herself back and at least act unaffected by her boyfriend's puns.

"Well," Adrien's green eyes twinkled like the stars at night, "You've known me so long, and I'm furrly irresistible."

"Adrien, don't start." She just couldn't take it seriously today, and she was pretty sure that cat puns were worse than bee puns.

"So you're not feline it, right now?" Adrien half purred, and Chloe couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"And you won't stop?" Chloe asked him.

"No, I'm purretty sure that I'm on a roll." His smirk told her all that she needed to know about that last word.

Chloe groaned, "'Honey,' don't get me started on the punning too." She'd humor him a little today.

"But Queenie, you rule my heart especially when you charm this purretty kitty with your meowvelous nickname fur him." Adrien looked ready to burst at the seams with his attempts at wordplay.

"Too many cat puns." Chloe grumbled as she took a seat by her counter, "No mewre kisses for you today."

"But aren't you having fun though, beebee?" Adrien's smile never faded, and Chloe found that it was just a teeny bit endearing to stare into it.

"That last one, you won't give up on, would you?" Chloe told him, smile dancing on her lips despite her attempts to pull herself further and further away from amusement.

"No, I just realized that it was perfect today!" Adrien chirped as he took a seat next to her, "I might like it more than some of my other nicknames for you."

"Adrien, kitten, don't, just don't." Chloe couldn't catch her smile in time before it flourished before him.

"Aww," The glint in Adrien's eye told her that he wouldn't be quitting any time soon, so she just prepared herself for a long day.


	13. Bee Peaceful

"Bee peaceful." The small upcurve of his lip told her all that she needed to know about that statement of his.

"I will kill you." Yet, there was no bite to the words.

"Why?" Adrien wiggled closer to her, and Chloe felt slightly relieved that he seemed to know her so well especially since he was able to calm her agitation even when he set up a trap to make her feign anger and frustration.

"You did not just pun to calm me down." Chloe told him point blank though she knew the truth and did not need to almost ask him if he did.

"Okay, I did not." Adrien looked amused even as he said the words.

"Really?" She let skepticism paint her voice, and really hoped that he got it; surely, he didn't expect her to buy his last statement.

"Yeah, if you want..." Adrien let it trail off even as Chloe shifted in his arms to level a glare at him.

"Puns aren't the way to comfort people." Chloe pointed out as she stretched out against him anyway; truthfully, she loved her dorky boyfriend regardless of how much he could drive her up a wall. He's her sweetheart even when they fight or joke, he's still everything to her.

"O-Okay then." His smile was radiant despite being told not to make any more puns to calm people down, and she just knew that he'd do so again in the future, but she didn't really mind all that much. Adrien, in his own way, was her strongest support; in part, because her words couldn't sway him into bending completely to her will.

Chloe was great at working things out with her father and her mother, great at twisting them around to her side, and yet Adrien as constant as he's been in her life has never bent to her will completely. He holds himself steady in ways that she'd never thought too much about until she'd actually tried to figure things out more recently.

These past few months had been incredible in that regard; Adrien still had the power to drive her up a wall and yet still held the power to melt her heart, and a part of Chloe would always try to remain a certain way in public, but with just Adrien, all her walls came tumbling down. Her smile may have not appeared as lovely and as angelic as some people can smile, but even though it didn't appear as sweet as it felt, she knew that he'd understand.


	14. Don't Get Too Buzzzzed

"Don't get too buzzzzed." Adrien told her cheekily, and Chloe couldn't help but roll her eyes at her husband. Honestly even when she wasn't transformed, he had to tease her especially with those bee puns.

She'd be careful anyway; it was just a girls' night out, and even though a little alcohol was involved, she was positive that she wouldn't get that 'buzzed.'

* * *

As midnight rolled around, Chloe Agreste came home to find her husband reading a book on the couch, and rather than even trying to see what he was reading, she sat down next to him and snuggled close. When Chloe starts drinking, she usually ends up quiet and cuddly; all manner of snark just falls and drips away as if it were better to just snuggle up and relax.

"Welcome home." Adrien smiled, lips twitched in slight amusement as he pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead, "Did you get buzzed?" All that that question's response was a low groan as she snuggled closer.

He shook his head, but pulled her closer anyway, "Here, sleep it off." He moved around on the couch and let her snuggle closer against him, letting her head come to rest beneath his chin. His wife didn't go out and drink all that often, and thankfully, she never really overdid it, just enough to come home a little buzzed and a little eager to cuddle and nap.

Chloe, if she went out drinking, always came back so mild mannered; no snark or bite to her words when Adrien made a pun, no genuine anger or feigned annoyance, just sort of content and snuggly.

He pulled her closer and just relaxed; he'd wait up for her every time that she went out and pull her close for a cuddle fest on the couch every time that she'd let him. Spending whatever time he could with his wife, was always so incredible. Love bloomed in his heart as he looked after his sleepy wife though he knew that she'd be annoyed with him when he teased her in the morning, but she'd still just kind of be a little quiet as she slowly started the next day off, not hungover from the small amount of drinking that she'd done, but just kind of content to know that her husband did snuggle with her and look out for her afterwards anyway.

Though Chloe wasn't always eager for affection, on the moments when she was, it always just left her kind of content that he just didn't abandon her to her own devices. Adrien would dutifully stay up waiting for her when she did go out drinking, because he loved her and because it made him so happy to see her happy.

Love was an action as well as a feeling, so he curled up by her side, looping one hand around her waist, and prepared for a long night of rest with his wife on their couch rather than their very own bed. He didn't mind at all, besides cuddly nights like tonight always left him so happy, content, and playful the next day anyway.


	15. Bee Free Yoga

"Bee Free Yoga?" Chloe grumbled as she sorted through the bag of goodies that their son had managed to get from the latest parade.

"Yeah." Adrien grinned, "You should go. It's only fair."

Chloe shot him a look, "No."

"But Chloe, it would be perfect for you. Bee free." Adrien grinned at her, and with all of his smugness, she was almost surprised that he didn't create the yoga studio, himself.

"I'm not going." Chloe crossed her arms over her chest, wondering vaguely if their son, Hugo, was having fun at his grandfather's place or if all that Andre could talk about was politics which wouldn't ultimately surprise her.

"Why not?" Adrien shot her a pleading look, all bright and big green eyes, "They'd love to have Queen Bee enjoy one of their classes, and we do have a free ticket."

"No. And if I were to even go, I'd take you with me, mister pun lover." She grumbled, sending her husband such a pointed look that she hoped that it resonated through his chest and made him understand what she felt about his eagerness for her to meet the pun head on.

"I can't help it that they gave it to the perfect person." Adrien's smile and pointed look was still aimed at her, "Besides, I'd love to go with you to yoga. Aren't married couples still supposed to find new hobbies together anyway?"  
"This is not going to become normal." Chloe grumbled, "And do you even like yoga?"

"I don't know." Adrien shrugged, "What better time than now to find out?"

"Whenever there isn't a pun involved, it would be a better time." She sighed, giving him another look that shown just how unhappy she was with this, "I should have just thrown that darn ticket down on the ground when I got it."

"You didn't read it then, and besides, that would have been rude." Adrien gave her a look, "Bad for business too. No one's going to hire a lawyer that snubbed them."

"You're not allowed to be logical." She sighed, "Is this why half the time, I think our son is just like you? Can't win an argument."

"There's no prize for the winner, besides it will give us something to do together, and we'll be a stronger couple for it." Adrien relaxed against the counter.

"Through a pun, we will not." Chloe grumbled, "Besides, you're supposed to like cat puns and not bee puns."

"I can't help but like bee puns. My wife is my little honey bee." Adrien told her with a bright smile.

"I am not." Chloe grumbled, "If anything that makes me the queen of the household."

"It does, doesn't it?" Adrien's beaming smile just made Chloe want to slug him.

"I give up on that now." Grumbled Chloe, "You go be the queen of the house now."

"Queen Cat Noir. Queen Noir. Queen Cat, here to save the day, and he does in absolute style." Adrien flipped his hair with a pleased grin.

"Why did I marry this dork?" Chloe mumbled.

* * *

Chloe did not like yoga, no matter what; she felt as if her body wasn't nearly as fast like this as opposed to her superhero identity. It didn't help that Adrien was a natural pro at it either or the fact that Alya was here and loved yoga.

"Downward Dog, class." And everyone bent down to effortlessly or attempt to appear effortlessly match the position with that of their instructor, and for the tiniest and most frustrating moment all that she could see were bees and bee puns that lined their walls.

Adrien had to be quick, of course he did, as molded into the position with effortless ease, and already, Chloe could tell that he was the teacher's favorite.

"This was your first time, Adrien?" Chloe ignored her voice as she tried to make her legs and arms not feel as wobbly as they felt, boneless almost. Her eyes caught just the sight of another horrendous bee pun, and of course, Adrien liked this place.

"Yeah," Adrien admitted, "But I've done basic stretches before for warm ups for some of the sports or other athletic activities that I grew up with, and I really like to move. People say that I'm like a cat, actually." His pride in that last statement made Chloe just want to slam her hand down over her face or make her strangle him. Her kitty husband should not, should not, be so obvious with his secret identity.

Chloe didn't carry around tea or try to throw in references to bees or honey or anything else, especially not in public where people who didn't know could hear her. It was a wonder that no one figured out who Cat Noir was. She'd blame the magic for bailing him out all the time.

"I can see that. You and your wife should come back again." She glanced over at Chloe, and she had the feeling she was just the plus one that wasn't any good at yoga. At least, the woman wasn't trying to pick up her husband.

"I'd love that, but I'd just have to check with Chlo later." He beamed, and he looked just as smug as the cat that got the cream as he returned to Chloe's side, and she knew without a doubt that he'd already be asking Chloe that night at dinner if they could go again to Bee Free Yoga, and she'd have to list all of her reasons why not. It wouldn't be fun at all to explain, but then again, her husband really, really liked yoga she knew after just trying it out for the first time today.

Chloe wondered how long it would take her to fold and eventually say, 'yes,' and how long it will take for this to be routine. May be she loved her husband too much though she couldn't help but smile as that thought crossed her mind and as they left the studio for now.


	16. Welcome To Our Honeycomb

After a long day at work, she loved coming home, to take a break and get a breath of fresh air. Chloe smiled as she opened the door. Some days were longer than others, and while this day had not felt impossible and the case wasn't in court yet, it would definitely help to relax after a relatively tough day at work.

"Welcome to our Honeycomb." Adrien chimed in with such a bright and easy smile on his face that all she could do was shake her head, "You are the bees' knees." His enthusiasm would be near palpable and easy to catch if she wasn't so concerned over the fact that he'd just welcomed her home with bee related puns.

Chloe groaned, shaking her head, "Adrien, you are not a bee." She figured grumbling about her own self not being a bee would not be a valid argument in Adrien's eyes. Queen Bee likely could not argue against her bee 'status.'

"But, you're my Queen." Her husband's loving and gentle smile that she would definitely not call as sweet as honey shone on his face as he turned towards her. Chloe would have melted at hearing those sweet words from her husband's caring lips, but she wasn't entirely sure that he hadn't used the word 'Queen,' just because it was a pun.

"Wouldn't that make you the king?" She grumbled, not willing to get into the debate over whether he'd be her 'worker bee.'

"I'm just your loyal knight." Adrien bowed as if he were suited up at the moment, despite not wearing his mask, ears, or tail.

"Does that mean you didn't want to marry me, just serve me?" She was tired, and somehow she just felt almost more tired now.

"No. I love you too much to have not married you." Adrien smiled, something soft and sweet, "Besides, maybe one day, we'll have little bees to call our own."  
"Why don't I just buy you a beehive?" Chloe muttered, though unbound the idea of having children with Adrien actually could be rather adorable, though she wouldn't really call herself the motherly type at all.

"Because, it wouldn't be the same as having bee-kittens?" He tried, as if eager to avoid getting a beehive put in their bedroom instead of one day having a crib, "And besides, you'd still be my favorite Queen Bee."  
She sighed, but a lazy smile was already spreading across her face. Her husband was absolutely adorable and sweet, despite how tiresome puns could seem sometimes. "I love you too, Adrien." She remembered hearing him tell her that he loved her just a moment ago.

"I love you too." And finally, he gave her a welcome home kiss, and she felt the anxieties and stresses of work melt away under the gentle affection. Sometimes the best part of her day was coming home to her husband.


End file.
